Friday, August 17, 2012

DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 05: Evelyn Lozada poses with AOL at the Maxim Party Powered by Motorola Xoom at Centennial Hall at Fair Park on February 5, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AOL) *** Local Caption *** Evelyn Lozada

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Updated: August 16, 2012 8:23PM

Hollywood pals of âBasketball Wivesâ reality TV personalityEvelyn Lozadawere not the least bit surprised when she filed for divorce fromChad âOchocincoâ Johnsonearlier this week â" as Johnsonâs life spiraled quickly downhill in the wake of an assault charge following a domestic spat with Lozada.

Already released by the Miami Dolphins, the former âDancing With the Starsâ contestant and his wife were told that VH1 was dropping the coupleâs âEv and Ochoâ reality series, already being produced but yet to air.

According to a source close to Lozada, she phoned her attorney to file for divorce immediately after getting the word VH1 had jettisoned her new show.

âShe was really pissed. â¦ Evelyn is all about fame and self-promotion, and once she realized that marriage [to Johnson] wasnât working to help that â" she was out. â¦ Sheâs tough and could handle the abuse, though most of it with Chad was verbal. But she canât stand the chance of not being in the public eye anymore.â

The Oscar winnerâs many run-ins with American paparazzi has convinced her she can only find some modicum of privacy by finding protection under Franceâs stringent anti-paparazzi regulation â" something that does not exist here.

FILMS IN BRIEF: Something like 100 short films from creators worldwide will debut in Chicago Sept. 6-9 at the Chicago International REEL Film Fest at Columbia College. Highlights will include a Ron Howard production that stars Daniela Ruah (âNCIS: Los Angelesâ), Ato Essandoh (âGarden Stateâ) and Karen Black. This yearâs festival is led by âProject Chicagoâsâ Daniel Houle and will feature guest speaker and filmmaker Julian Grant.PARTY PEOPLE: There was a fun fete Thursday at the Chicago History Museum as Bonnie Dannen, Judy Goldberg, Bill Pry and Doron Levy â" the principals of BBJ Table Fashions â" celebrated the 30th anniversary of their firm, which has grown from owning 10 tablecloths in 1983 to become an international supplier of upscale party equipment for all kinds of beautiful bashes.

TV TALK: One never knows what will go viral thanks to YouTube. After online gossip Perez Hilton picked up on local attorney Shaun Sperlingâs 1992 bar mitzvah video â" where he does a hilarious dance impression of Madonnaâs âVogueâ (sporting a drawing of the Material Girl on the back of his dress shirt), the video drew thousands of views. Sperling will guest on âTodayâ Saturday morning to chat about it all.

â Those hoping to hear âCome on down!â should head to the Chicago area contestant search for âThe Price Is Rightâ at Savers, 1231 N. Gary Ave., Carol Stream, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Two semi-finalists from that audition will be flown to Los Angeles â" with one guaranteed a spot on contestantsâ row.

TUNE TIME:Music legendDionne Warwickwill be certain to draw a huge crowd at North Central College â"performing two shows Oct. 6 and 7, part of her 50th anniversary tour.

â Chicago-bred band Kids These Days will be performing as the house band at VH1âs âDo Somethingâ Awards (airing at 8 p.m. Tuesday on VH1). The musicians, who previously performed on âConanâ and withSnoop Dogg, Kid Cudi,theRootsandGeorge Clinton,will be part of the awards show honoring young activists for worthy causes â" and featuring such celebs asJustin Bieber, Taylor SwiftandEmma Stone.

BOOK SHOULD ROCK: Veteran Creed lead singer Scott Stapp â" long a controversial personality in the music world â" has written what heâs calling an âuncensoredâ tell-all memoir, Sinnerâs Creed, slated for an Oct. 2 release.

The acclaimed rocker promises candid revelations about his suicide attempts, alcohol-fueled rampages and abusive childhood. Creed has sold more than 50 million albums around the globe.

BIG SCREEN BITS: North Shore native Edward Zwick is said to be close to inking a deal to direct âPawn Sacrifice,â a film about former chess prodigy Bobby Fischer and his troubled life that often wavered between genius and madness. Fischerâs youthful winning of the world chess championship against Russian Boris Spassky â" during the midst of the Cold War â" made him an international phenomenon. In later years he faded from the scene and spent the rest of his life living overseas until his death in Iceland in 2008, shortly before his 65th birthday.

Reportedly on deck to play Fischer is ex-âSpider-Manâ star Tobey Maguire.

â Thereâs a lot of buzz about the upcoming âGrace of Monaco,â starring Nicole Kidman as the Oscar-winning screen queen Grace Kelly who gave up Hollywood to become a real princess by marrying Monacoâs Prince Rainier III. Tim Roth already has been cast as Rainier, but now it appears the coupleâs priest and close adviser, Father Tucker, will be played by Frank Langella.